Survey Data
Reg No
40901910
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social
Previous Name
Drumfree Railway Station
Original Use
Railway station
In Use As
Public house
Date
1900 - 1905
Coordinates
238526, 439036
Date Recorded
22/11/2008
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Detached three-bay two-storey former railway station, opened 1901. Now in use as public house with modern extensions to gables and rear. Pitched artificial slate roof with clayware ridge tiles, red brick gable ended chimneystacks with red brick coping on red brick plinth, extending timber bargeboards, and replacement rainwater goods. Coursed rock-faced ashlar stone walls, painted brick block-and-start quoins, and stone plinth course with painted brick coping. Segmental-arch headed window openings with painted brick block-and-start surrounds and lintel course, continuous hoodmoulding to first floor and ground floor with one-over-one pane horned timber sash windows to first floor and replacement windows to ground floor, painted sills. Segmental-arch headed door opening with painted brick block-and-start surrounds, timber panelled door with glazed overlight. Set within own grounds facing onto road.
Appraisal
A typical example of the railway stations along the Tooban to Carndonagh line of the former Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway. Although altered in recent times during conversion for a new use, it retains much of its original character and form. Its façade is enlivened by the interesting and colourful contrast between the dark grey snecked limestone masonry and the attractive yellow and red brick detailing, particularly by the yellow brick surrounds to the openings and the red brick stringcourse and hoodmouldings over. The railway, although relatively short lived, was of major social importance in opening up isolated rural areas. This railway station was built as part of the Tooban Junction to Carndonagh section of the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway line, which opened on the 1st of July 1901 and closed in December 1935. The first sod of new line was turned on the 25th May 1899. It was originally built by the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway Company who had built the earlier section of the line between Derry and Buncrana in 1864. This line was originally a standard 5ft 3-inch gauge but was regauged to the 3ft narrow gauge in March 1885; the later line was also of this narrow gauge. This former railway station now acts as an interesting historical reminder of the formerly extensive railway network in County Donegal, and is an integral element of the built heritage of the local area and of the wider transport heritage of the county.